Midnight
by Parseltounge
Summary: Draco has changed - because he doesn't want to be like his father. Ginny Weasley has noticed. So when Draco makes a devious bet that he can win her heart - what exactly will happen? A/N: This is a very good D/G read.
1. Blackmail

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Midnight

By Parseltounge

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Chapter 1

Blackmail

~*~

Is it thy will thy image should keep open

My heavy eyelids on a weary night?

Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken, 

While shadows, like to thee, do mock my sight?

Is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee

So far from home, into my deeds to pry;

To find out shames and idle hours in me,

The scope and tenor of thy jealousy?

O no! thy love, though much, is not so great:

It is my love that keeps mine eye awake;

Mine own true love that doth my rest defeat,

To play the watchman ever for thy sake:

For thee watch I, whilst thou dost wake elsewhere, 

From me far off, with others all-too-near.

-William Shakespeare

Sonnet LXI

~*~

Ginny Weasley. Sixteen years of age, medium build, average height, auburn hair that framed her porcelain-like face, and sweet personality anyone with half of a heart would love. 

She preferred to have friends like Colin Creevy, Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger over people like Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown any day. Not that she was being judgmental or anything - she just knew that she couldn't establish a true friendship with people like that unless her favorite things in life were gossip, make-up, and boys. And those were most certainly not her favorite things in life - she didn't spend her time talking and worrying about things like that. 

Ginny tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and turned the page of the book she was reading. It wasn't all that interesting of a read, and she hoped that Colin might find her compartment soon. 

Ron, Harry, and Hermione didn't really play a big role in her life. Sure, Ron was her brother - an overprotective, easy-tempered, and bossy one at that. Okay, so Harry used to be her crush - and a sickly sweet, gawky, experienced actor as well. Oh, and Hermione was a close friend - who would rather spend her time with Harry and Ron, browsing the library, or doing schoolwork. 

Overall, the only people she spent time with were Neville and Colin - Neville was most likely catering to another of his recent injuries now, and Colin was probably going to find a nurse for him. 

Ginny sighed, setting her book down, turning to look at the scenery unfolding in front of her as the train passed over foothills and pastures. She wondered if there was anyone else on the train just as bored as her. P_robably not, _she thought dismally.

~*~

Draco Malfoy had his forehead rested upon the windowpane of the glass, every now and then banging his head against it purposefully. It was more entertaining than listening to Pansy chatter away incessantly. She should have realized about two hours ago that he wasn't at all paying attention to her. 

Crabbe and Goyle were off doing Lord knows what - probably nicking food of the trolley. They probably had enough brains to grunt, eat, sleep, and relieve themselves, so Draco automatically reasoned that there was no way they could be doing that. 

When Draco had met Mrs. Goyle and Mrs. Crabbe, they had both told him that he was a spitting image of his father. So whenever he overheard a female referring to him as the 'Slytherin Sex God' he shuddered profusely.

Another thing that really ticked him off was that whole Death Eater thing. Draco had no intention of becoming one. A few years ago, kneeling on the ground and kissing the hem of a guy's robes who looked like a scarlet-eyed wrinkly monk might have seemed appealing, but not now. He had formed his opinion of the Dark Lord. He might be powerful and wise to a point, at least when it came to Dark Magic and how Mudbloods to be treated - but in all due respect - he was a loon. 

Draco saw the reasoning in getting rid of muggle-borns, but saw no reason of taking over the world with his Reign of Terror. _Plus, if you looked at the facts,_ Draco had pointed out to himself_, there is really no reason why anyone who possessed more than a quarter of a brain would serve him._ Which completely explained why his father served him. 

Draco's father had taken to owling him about very lame things in which he seemed to find important:

__

Son, 

The Dark Lord graced his presence at the mansion today. He brought up the topic that you seemed very strong, and wise - good traits for Death Eaters to have. He made it clear that he wanted you to join me in the Inner Circle, after you have proven yourself worthy, of course. He would like you to receive the Mark after you finish your seventh year of schooling. As a subject of less importance, your mother and myself have been aggravated by your lack of triumphing over Gryffindor in your Quidditch games. It seems that you have won against the other Houses, but never Gryffindor. If you tell me that they are to well-trained, then that's just showing that you are not a person worthy enough to continue coaching the Slytherin team. I shall of course be informing Professor Snape of my expectations of you. 

Your mother sends her regards,

Lucius

He always signed his name as 'Lucius' unless he was exceptionally proud of Draco, he signed 'Your Father.' The irony of it all was that, to Draco, his name would always be 'That Sadistic Bastard.'

Over the years, Draco's spiteful personality lessened - the older he became the more he differed from his father. He never really threw a rude remark at The Trio or anyone else unless it was thought out and well-aimed. Though his attitude towards people like Hermione hadn't changed, he was less obvious about it then he used to be. 

He turned his head to glance briefly at Pansy before turning back to the window, forehead resting against the glass again. He thought she had been saying something about the wonders of magical surgery, but he couldn't be sure. 

Oh, how he longed for someone to talk to that had a brain worth at least a half of a Knut.

~*~

Ginny was getting restless. A half an hour had passed since the start of the train ride, and there was still seven and a half hours to go. 

Where was Colin, Neville, or even Hermione when you wanted someone to talk to?

Standing up, Ginny brushed out her tan skirt and looked at her surroundings. "Might as well go search for Colin, because I have nothing better to do," Ginny muttered, pushing her compartment door open. 

~*~

Draco was on the verge of insanity, only half-listening to Pansy's speech about breast implants.

"Because, it's just so expensive, getting it done the muggle way. _I_ say we look in the library, there's got to be a spell that would do the trick - "

Draco exhaled deeply and turned around. "As - as _fascinating_ as your opinion of the matter is, I really would like to go for a walk - it's getting stuffy in here and - and I need time to think really hard about what you've been talking about."

When Pansy's eyes lit up and she opened her mouth to say something, Draco cut her off, "_Alone_."

Pansy glared and closed her mouth, crossing her arms.

Draco walked out of the compartment. 

~*~

Ginny peeked through all of the windows on the compartment doors. She hadn't yet come across Colin, but she had witnessed a few very full-fledged snogs. She peered through the next window and shrieked, turning away. "Oh - Godric - Gryffindor. That was - the most - horrific thing I could have ever seen." 

"What is, Weasley?"

Draco had turned the corned to come face-to-face with Ginny.

Ginny blanched, and mildly pointed to the compartment window, not turning towards it. Draco pushed past her and gazed inside. "Oh. That explains it," he said casually. 

Ginny shot him a mild glare. "I - I was _going _to talk to Hermione when I find her, but under the circumstances -"

"The circumstances of course being your brother shagging Granger."

Ginny rolled her eyes before shuddering. "What are they doing _now_?"

Draco glanced back in the compartment window.

"They are in a position that would make any mother faint."

He smirked. "For a mudblood Granger has got some very pronounced curves -"

Ginny currently had her hands over her face, breathing deeply.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" 

Draco looked quizzically at her. "I would have thought that you would have been happy about your brother having wild sex with Granger."

"_Why_, Malfoy?"

Draco looked at her, confused, looked through the compartment window, then back to Ginny again.

"Isn't it obvious? You have got total blackmail on him."

Ginny dropped her hands and her face lit up.

"Observe," Draco said, turning away from her and acting as if he was speaking to an invisible person. "Hey Mom, nothing much is going on, except right before we arrived at Hogwarts I saw Ron and Hermione - " Draco shuddered slightly at calling them by their first names, "naked rolling around on the floor of a train compartment. They were going at it for eight hours, the whole duration of the train ride!" Draco lowered his voice slightly, turning back to her. "And if he gets her pregnant you have all the more 'news' for your mother."

Ginny gaped at him. "I would think that he'd have the sense to do some spell or something preventing that."

Draco looked at her, shaking his head. "Knowing your brother, I highly doubt it."

  
Ginny raise her eyebrows. "And you spend _so_ much time with my brother," she said sarcastically. 

Draco moved over to sit in a chair and shrugged. "I've witnessed enough."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing, anyway? Aren't you supposed to be with your….friends?"

Draco's eyes narrowed as well as he sat up straighter in his chair. "For your information, Weasley, Pansy was annoying the crap out of me. So I went for a walk to get away from her - then ran into you and saw something I'd rather not have."

"I thought Pansy was your girlfriend," Ginny said, confused.

Draco snorted. "No. And if I can help it, she never will be. Why would you care?"

"I don't. It's just that everyone in this school thinks you're already engaged, or something like that."

"Sod off, I told you we weren't. I wouldn't think that having little money would affect your hearing at all."

"I think you need new material," Ginny replied, unfazed.

"I think you need to either make yourself useful, or leave me alone."

Ginny glared at him. "Since I don't even want to know what your definition of 'making myself useful' is, I guess I'll just go."

~*~

Fifteen minutes later she found the compartment Colin and Neville were in. It seemed as though a spell of Neville's had gone astray, for he now had wine pouring out of his ears like a fountain.

"Neville if you just held still, I could try to fix it - " came Colin's voice.

"NO! I am going to find Ginny! I trust her with a wand! I know she can reverse it!"

Ginny listened to this from the other side of the compartment door, suppressing a grin. Taking a deep breath, she walked inside, only to reveal a half inch of wine on the carpet floor of the compartment. 

"GINNY! Get - your - wand - out - and - reverse - the - spell!"

Ginny surveyed the sight before her. Colin had his wand out, holding it to Neville's ear, and had Neville in a small headlock. "Colin, get off," Ginny warned. Colin sulkily sat back on the compartment seat. Ginny proceeded to turn to Neville. "What caused this?" she asked.

Colin answered before Neville could. "When Hermione walked passed our compartment about half an hour ago, he tried to put a love spell on her."

__

This guy really needs to get a grip, he's liked Hermione for three years, Ginny thought.

"Er - well, you did a good job of making your ears go berserk," Ginny told Neville with a small laugh. She pulled out her wand, pointing it at Neville, and muttered 'Finite incantatem,' under her breath. The wine immediately stopped pouring from Neville's ears. 

Neville exhaled deeply. "Thanks," he told Ginny, rubbing his ears, standing up, then taking a seat next to Colin. 

"So, what have you been doing over the summer?" Ginny asked Colin. 

Colin looked thoughtful. "Honestly, not much. It was a very quiet time, being away from Hogwarts."

"Yeah," added Neville, a far-off look on his face. "I miss Professor Sprout, and the cozy common room…. At one point I became so depressed from being at home that I even missed Malfoy and Pansy's little lover's spats." Colin snorted, and Ginny bit her lip to keep from grinning. 

Oddly enough, she felt special knowing something that others did not. And oddly enough, this made her wonder how many false presumptions had been made about Draco Malfoy…

~*~

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Next chapter: 

They arrive at Hogwarts, and a devious bet is placed….

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A/N: How was it? Email me at dracos_girl_slytherin_babe@hotmail.com

Also, you can **request a fic** you want me to write as long as it's D/G. It can be a short fic or long fic. Just include a summary of it, and what you'd like it to be like. I will write it for you. 

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	2. The Bet

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Midnight

By Parseltounge

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Chapter 2

The Bet

~*~

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Ginny, Colin and Neville arrived at Hogwarts in the normal fashion. Colin was presently talking animatedly to Neville and Ginny about his thoughts for the upcoming school year. "I mean, Professor McGonagall is _old_, why hasn't she died yet?" Only when Ginny slapped him on the shoulder with a warning look did he take it back. "I'm just stating the facts…"

To Ginny and Colin, the castle looked welcoming and cheerful. To Neville, however, the castle looked like a dungeon of some sort. "What's with the gloomy expression, Neville?" Ginny asked, concerned. Neville turned to eye her warily. "N.E.W.T.'s this year, Gin. For the seventh years only," he said as the three of them walked though the Entrance Hall. 

Colin and Ginny groaned sympathetically. "Oh, Neville, N.E.W.T.'s aren't until the end of the year. If you put your mind to it, you will pass N.E.W.T.'s with honors. Never fear."

Colin put on a suggestive face and said, "Yeah, and if you are doubtful of your abilities you can always have Hermione 'help' you."

That did nothing but earn a blush from Neville and another slap on the arm from Ginny.

~*~

__

I think I have forgotten just how frigging big this hall is. It shouldn't take ten minutes to walk from the Entrance Hall to the Great Hall. It's not as if Hogwarts is a small_ place, but it just takes so long! My ankles are stating to get sore and there's a stitch in my side. Salazar, whoever did the blueprints for this castle deserves to be thrown out on his ass and have an Unforgivable put on him. Ah, is that the door to the Great Hall? It's about time,_ thought Draco as he walked into the Great Hall for the Greeting Feast.

Draco was overcome with a great wave of nostalgia as he observed his surroundings. The enchanted ceiling was full of stars, and not one cloud. It shone a crescent moon, and every so often a shooting star passed by. Everyone in the hall was chatting, laughing, looking at their empty plates with an expression of grief, etc. Members of the staff were waiting were surveying the students from the staff table. Nothing much was new to Draco. Draco spotted Hermione and Ron at the Gryffindor table, holding hands and having stupid grins on their faces. Then he noticed Ginny eyeing them as well, looking like she was doing all she could to prevent herself from bursting with laughter. 

Draco strode over to the Slytherin table and plopped down in between Crabbe and Goyle, who had a hungry gleam in their eyes. After the last few people came in and took there seats at their house table, Professor McGonagall walked hurriedly to the front of the Great Hall, carrying the sorting hat and a small stool, with about twenty or thirty nervous-looking first years behind her. She placed the stool down, and then placed the sorting hat on the stool. 

As Draco eyed the students he automatically new they were going to be in Slytherin. For one, they carried a look of utmost superiority, and for two, they were ugly. Draco was one of the few exemptions that turned out to be a good-looking Slytherin. 

Everyone went quiet, and the sorting hat broke out in song:

"About ten decades ago, when I was in much better condition

There were four different people, with one common mission

They strived to build a school for witches and wizards to be taught, 

And though you'd think they thought the same way, they did not

Rowena Ravenclaw wanted studious people, who didn't goof off,

Helga Hufflepuff favored people who wanted equality, and who didn't scoff, 

Salazar Slytherin prized purebloods, slyness, cunning wit, deemed dangerous

Godric Gryffindor wanted people who were friendly, yet courageous 

Slytherin and Gryffindor had a huge fight about how their choice was the best

Gryffindor didn't like Slytherin's preferences, and neither did the rest

Slytherin yearned for students that were aristocrats, and the others started to worry 

The three other founders worked in harmony after Slytherin left in fury

The three remaining finished building Hogwarts, and after that

They made something to sort the students into houses - I, the sorting hat!"

~*~

Ginny applauded the sorting hat politely along with the rest of the people in the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall gave the new student who had yet to be sorted a reassuring smile, as some of them had looks of terror. 

"When I call your name, you shall sit on this stool right here, have the sorting hat placed on your head, they will tell you which of the four houses you belong in."

The ritual seemed to carry on forever, though not many people were being sorted. Ginny believed it was because of food deprivation. Finally, all the students had been sorted. 

Dumbledore got up from his seat at the staff table and cleared his throat. Everyone in the Great Hall turned to look up him. 

"I know you must be starving, so I will try to make this brief. I would like to greet old friends, welcome new friends, and urge people to honor the people who have moved on from this school to become greater things. New students keep in mind that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds unless told otherwise by a teacher. It will be a difficult year, with The War, but I know that if we are united and stand together no harm will come our way." Dumbledore looked thoughtful then said, in a less serious tone, "And if anyone would like to try out for their House Quidditch team, speak to either your head of house or Madame Hooch. Having said that, enjoy your meal!"

In an instant, food and drink filled the table. Ginny glanced at Harry, who looked forlorn. She glanced at Ron as well, who said to Hermione, "Why aren't you in Ravenclaw? You're not _brave_ - you said yourself you were dead scared of anything happening to Harry or I."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"I, however, don't cower in front of spiders, or my own mother for that matter," retorted Hermione haughtily, though she still wore an expression of contentedness. 

Ginny snorted and reached for a chicken leg.

Seamus sat beside Ginny, perfectly content and loading his plate with everything he could get his hands on.

"Hungry?" said Ginny sardonically.

Seamus took a bite of corn before shrugging. "I've been hungrier." 

Ginny gaped at him before shaking her head and continued to eat. 

~*~

"Crabbe, Goyle, control yourselves!"

Crabbe and Goyle were munching away on chips. All Draco could hear was crunching sounds. 

Draco groaned, putting his head in his hands. "Am I talking to myself?"

Draco looked up from his hands. "Am I?"

"No," replied Blaise Zabini, who was sipping some soup. "I can hear you." 

__

Even over these noises of munching chips? Draco thought.

Blaise Zabini, male, had a very spiteful attitude toward all males in the other houses. But he was never mean to girls. Ever. In fact, he acted very charming and sweet toward girls. They fell for him instantly. He had dark brown hair and sharp, calculating blue eyes. All the females had a private voting of the best looking males in the school - and Seamus was ranked in fourth place, Blaise third, Ron second, and Draco first. 

Draco, who had platinum hair, smoky, piercing silver eyes, and a body to die for, was candy for the female eyes.

Blaise turned to look at the other house tables. "Whose heart should I try to win this year?" he asked Draco, who smirked.

"Preferably no male," he replied. 

Blaise glared at him. "Don't be daft, which female? And she can't be in Slytherin."

When Draco didn't reply, Blaise continued to talk. "Susan Bones would have been ideal - but it looks like she put on weight over the summer, and I try to avoid Hufflepuffs. Padma Patil is okay, but I'll have her as my last resort, because she's a girly girl. Blaise looked over to the Gryffindor table. "Hermione Granger's looking good, but she's with Weasley." Blaise suddenly whistled. "That other Weasley, what's her name? Virginia? I'll try to get her this year; she's absolutely gorgeous."

Draco grunted in acknowledgment; but couldn't help but looking over at the Gryffindor table and agreeing with him.

~*~

Draco lay awake that night. 

It'll be fun to watch Blaise trying to win over the littlest Weasley. He won't know what's coming to him - her brother will have Blaise's intestines for his boot laces. 

Draco smirked. 

The only thing more ludicrous that a Zabini with a Weasley would be a Malfoy with a Weasley….

And suddenly Draco got an idea. 

This was going to be so much fun….

~*~

Ginny woke up the next day fully rested and in an excellent mood.

She dressed in silence - a deep forest green sweater that her mother had made her, along with a pair of grey jeans she had gotten second hand. Fully aware that this was not school uniform, Ginny slipped her robe over it and buttoned it. 

Her hair, which went down to the middle of her back, often got in her face irritated her - so she pulled it up into a ponytail.

She gave herself the once-over, and after declaring herself presentable she grabbed her school bag and headed down to the common room. It was still early; Ginny awoke early every morning to get a good start. 

Ginny walked downstairs toward the common room. She and Hermione were going to have a little chat….

~*~

Draco opened his eyes groggily. "I hate mornings….I _hate_ mornings…." Draco's curtains which were drain around his four-poster were pulled back to reveal Blaise's cheerful face. 

"Well, aren't we a little ray of sunshine! You should be the spirit of the dawn, who loves mornings more than any sane person does -"

"If you don't get the hell away from me you're going to be the spirit of the dead, who is as dead as a person can get," Draco growled. "Why did they put you in Slytherin? Slytherin's are supposed to like the darkness, and be very evil."

Blaise raised his eyebrows. "Are you saying that I wasn't being evil to wake you up?"  


"Good point." Draco sat up suddenly, remembering his idea. "Hey, Blaise - you know how Pansy bugs the crap out of me?"

Blaise groaned sympathetically. "Of course!" 

"Well, I have a proposal for you. Do you think that I, being a Malfoy, could win Weasley's heart?"

"You're gay, Draco?"

Draco sighed impatiently. "Not THAT one you idiot, Ginny!"

Blaise looked suprised for a moment, then looked at Draco in disbelief. "Salazar, no way."

Draco smiled, or rather, smirked grandly. "How much you do you want to bet I can?" 

"I'm betting nothing."

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "If I lose the bet, you get to put a Cheering Charm on me every morning. If I win the bet, you keep Pansy away from me."

Blaise smiled, and stuck out his hand, which Draco shook.

"Done."

~*~

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Next chapter: A hilarious conversation between Draco and Ginny, Ginny talks to Hermione about what she 'witnessed', a murderous Professor Snape, and a murderous Ron!

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A/N: To people who reviewed: I love you! 

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Furnikle - Sorry if they're a tad OOC, but hey, it's my story! I will write more!

shock-a-lot - You rock.

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